This message is an excerpt from the final newsletter sent out upon the I&E unit’s closure on March 31, 2026.
This final newsletter marks a heartfelt goodbye to Innovation and Entrepreneurship (I&E) at Yukon University. Over the past several months, a lot of thoughtful work has gone into winding things down in a way that honours the people and programs that shaped YukonU’s contribution to this ecosystem. As of March 31, 2026, most of the I&E programming wraps up, including public access to our space at Northlight Innovation. The remaining IncubateNorth cohort will continue to receive support and details are continuing to be worked out, but other key programming including Summer Biz School, wrap around services, and the Innovation Fund has come to an end.
This wasn’t a simple decision. Funding priorities have shifted, and the University is sharpening its focus on student-centered opportunities. Together, these changes have guided this direction forward.
Even so, innovation remains very much alive at Yukon University, as research itself is innovative. And it continues to be a core part of the institution’s future, through Research and Innovation , the Centre for Northern Innovation and Mining (CNIM); Honouring Traditions in Community–an ongoing program at the community campuses that includes direct support for entrepreneurship for artists; and within each faculty in its own way. As the University grows and adapts, this work will evolve alongside the needs of the North and the broader academic landscape in Canada.
I&E’s story stretches back to the days of the Cold Climate Innovation and Technological Innovation Centres, building on a long legacy of supporting Yukon innovators. Over the years, programs like Summer Biz School, rural entrepreneurship supports, IncubateNorth, the Innovation Fund, and a wide range of wrap‑around services have helped entrepreneurs start, stabilize, and grow their businesses. The results are visible in stronger local companies, new jobs, and meaningful contributions to the territory’s economy.
None of this would have been possible without the many partners, supporters, and collaborators who walked alongside us. Funders, community organizations, mentors, advisors, and program participants all played a role in shaping I&E into something practical, responsive, and deeply rooted in the needs of the North. Thank you for the time, insight, and heart you brought to this work. Your contributions have touched countless people and strengthened communities across the Yukon.
As we look ahead, it’s also important to pause and recognize the people behind this work. To the recent I&E team: Caitlyn MacMacster, Heather Dougan, Josee Belisle, Clement Richard, and Aiden McRae. And to those from the past, thank you. In the more historic I&E team, with Lauren Mannekin-Beille, Harry Borlase and Stephen Mooney’s leadership. Your dedication, energy, and belief in Yukon’s innovators have made a lasting impact and that legacy will continue to ripple outward for years to come.
Thank you to our funders, supporters, mentors, participants, and partner organizations across Whitehorse and the rural communities we have had the privilege to work alongside, Thank you.
Over the past years, you have been at the heart of everything we’ve built together. Your belief in innovation, entrepreneurship, and community has not only made this work possible—it has made it meaningful. You brought energy, generosity, and joy into every gathering, every conversation, and every step of the journey.
We are deeply honoured to have walked this path with you. Your support, guidance, and trust have helped shape ideas into action and dreams into tangible impact for individuals, families, and communities across the Yukon.
Nothing we have accomplished would have been possible without you. You have made this journey not only achievable, but truly inspiring.
Rooted in the Yukon: How Herbalist Sylvie Gewehr Built Wildwood Spirit
By Lael Lund
In a small kitchen in Haines Junction, surrounded by jars of dried plants and amber bottles lined neatly on shelves, Sylvie Gewehr is quietly reshaping what a business can look like in the Yukon. Through Wildwood Spirit, her herbal business, she crafts teas, tinctures, salves, plant walks, workshops, and one-on-one consultations that invite people into deeper relationship with the plants around them.
Sisters, Stories, and Kaska Worlds on the Page
By Lael Lund
When sisters Myka Hake Glada and Trista Glada first moved to Faro, they weren’t thinking about product lines or entrepreneurship. They were grieving the loss of their mom, adjusting to a new home, and spending a lot of time indoors making art.
What started as a way to cope and create slowly grew into something bigger: two homegrown book projects that celebrate Yukon wildlife, Kaska language, and the imaginative worlds these young artists carry with them.
Trusting the Process: Mercedes’ Beadwork Journey in Watson Lake
By Lael Lund
In the depths of a Yukon winter, 17-year-old Mercedes Handel sat down for a conversation from her home in Watson Lake to talk about something that’s both deeply personal and quietly powerful in her life: beadwork.
Nurturing young entrepreneurs at Summer Biz School
Growing up, Matt Douglas was thinking about becoming a defence attorney before he found his calling in the creative power of marketing. Today, Matt is the managing director at Mammoth Marketing. His team works to fill a major gap in the marketplace for small and medium-sized businesses and organizations–and they’re committed to investing in the community–especially the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Read more of our Innovation Stories.